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DC & MD Alumnae People's Counsels in the News

DC Peoples' Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye, '83 (left) and Maryland Peoples' Counsel Paula Carmody, '80 (right) were both quoted in the Washington Post last week commenting from the consumer perspective on the planned take-over of locally-based PEPCO by Chicago-based nuclear power giant Exelon, which owns Baltimore Gas and Electric (BG&E)

"Sandra Mattavous-Frye, who as the D.C. people’s counsel represents consumer interests, said legislation binds Pepco or its “successors” to complete the undergrounding arrangement. But she said other aspects of the deal seem less reassuring, including the prospect of trading a homegrown company with deep local roots for an out-of-state parent that already reaches into 38 states and two Canadian provinces.

Paula Carmody, head of the Office of People’s Counsel in Maryland, said she has similar concerns despite Exelon’s relatively smooth acquisition of Constellation Energy, which the state approved in 2012."

"Aside from impressions from customers, it is difficult to isolate the effect of Exelon’s purchase of BGE on customer service and reliability. The sale occurred amid other acts by the state legislature and regulators to improve service, said Paula Carmody, head of the Office of People’s Counsel for Maryland, an independent state agency representing consumer interests in state and federal regulatory proceedings.

The sale was one factor “but sitting here right now, I don’t think there is a way to answer the question of what impact it alone had. It is tough to say what can be attributed solely to the acquisition, positively or negatively,” said Carmody."